The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-24

ont the view, the beautiful View OF whlcn
our landlord spoke so much. No, we don't
care for views. Mort says that he takes no
Measure In views, for distance suggests still
greater distance aud the eternal bcyond--an
ircomprchensble problem with which he has
always been unwilling to pcrpcx his brain
agree with him. A COOL stone wall or a dlrl,
window pane has ever suiccd my eyes to rest
upon, for I am then ut liberty to imagine
thing, beyond MS far more beautiful than what
there really Is ms the landscapes of my imag
nation are more beautiful than those one real
~ sees
II am sorry | can't offer you any tea she
continued almost in the same breath 1--WE
have only one teapot, and my husband keeps
his cigars In It,
would II he indiscrcct TO ask ] said
''what work Mr. Mort Is at present eng lgen
on3 / am anxIouslv looElng forward for It, !
can not tell You with what pleasure read hi;
last book"
ale is writing n series Of Letters IRON
Heaven she answered. They arc master
pieces"
She was about to add something when my
husband rose lie was evidently afraid thai
sometime blasphcmous was about to follow.
"Well" he said. as lac took his leave, 81
donl read novels as rule, but shall make a
point of getting t,Ia; on from Nudes 1t is
subject full OF interest to me rs clergyman
Good-day Mrs. Mort
''What rolcf to be out of that house" ]
said, rs we ST ppcd iuto the road. 'Do you
think the mau Is mad''
mad, certainly not; but very eccentric, ]
wonder what the husband is like
"If he is only visible between 10 at night
and in the morning. | answered 1--WE are
not very likely 10 ever know. We can't call Oh
him during those hours"
| Mrs Mort never returned our call, nor did
she ever appear at our church, and, what was
stranger, neither she nor her husband was
ever seen TO leave Sea View villa or to take q
walk in the village. The door of their house
was always closed The tradesmeu wer2
spoken to through a spG-holc. Our grocer
| told me that he had been ordered TO leave The
| basket on the doorstep whenever he came, aud
! 10 return next day for fresh orders and pay.
| ment. He always found his empty basket
| waiting for him where he had left 1t, and b'
! its side an envelope containing his money ana
| list of the things he was to bring the next
time he called. Similar instructions had been
| given TO the other tradesmen. The tax
gatherer by an arrangement made with Mr.
Dale by Mrs. Mort on signing the lease, was
paid by the squirc's steward.
This extraordinary conduct intrigued us
greatly, and was the subject Of intcrmlnable
| conversation between ou rsevcs and the Dalcs
| whenever we met Tn csc, by the way, had
met with q reception similar TO ours on calling
at Sea View Their call had never been re
turned | am ashamed TO say that " made
some very unfair suppossions about the
strange lady and her mysterious husband.
! This was, no doubt, because we were all dis
appointed in on hopes OF having pleasant
| addition to our small society at Sandyille. We
| forgot TO make allowances for people whose
profession exacted privacy and retirement, MOI
did we remember that the Morris, having lived
for many years on the continent, were most
probably quite unaware of the usages of Eng
lish society. Mr.. Dale seemed very ANNOYED
at the conduct of his new tenants, and openly
regretted having let them the house. His
maiden sister spoke OF Mrs. NJ ort us an "lrre'
lgous ghoul," while Mrs. Dale strongly mod
flied her opinion OF the lady whom, when sign
ing nine ycart lease of her house, she had
found charming, though peculiar"
Our bad example was naturally followed by
| the villagers but unfortunately these did moi
conlinc themselves % verbal speculations. I'm
able TO satisfy their curiosity by variety OF
spying round the premises of the villa, they
revenecd themselves by declaring war against
It's invisible inhabitants. or an evening groups
would form outside its gates and cries, In
suting or mirth- provoking, would be uttered
This soon became a regu lar habit They call.
ed Il drawing the badgcrn On one occasion
one Young man went so far as to throw dead
cat up against one of the windows on the first
Door. II broke the pane aud fell throu gh into
the room, amid the shouts Of those present
Suddenly the window was pulled open and
Mrs. Mort appeared. She looked very angry
"Hurrah, hurrah"' screamed the yokels.
''We've drawn Que badger. Now for tothcr y
But the laughter occasoncd by this sall'
was soon checked when It appeared that Mrs
Mort was commencing reprlsals. The dead
cat was first hurled back, and this was follow
cd by a brisk lire Of various books flung Will
unerring aim by the incensed lady, These
volumes. which were all from various editions
OF Shakspcare's works. gave the yokels some
smart raps about the ears. 1t is doubtful how
far this scandal might not have gone had moi
nv husband happened to come up at tha
moment. lie was indignant when he heard
what had occurred, and sharply rebuked his
parishiouers many Of whom had their hands
full of mud and stones which they had just
picked up 10 carry on the siege. Indeed s.
strongly did he express his displeasure a
such molestation of harmless and unofiendins
people that from that day forth the nightl.
| = .-illn ed